The latest round of “do nothing” jibes

Gordon Brown’s interview with Sky earlier today is significant insofar as it represents the latest front in his war of words with the Tories.  Our PM’s central claim was that the key dividing line between him and the Cameroons is over unemployment; with – suprise, suprise – Labour wanting to “help people get back into work,” and the Tories happy to “do nothing”.

It’s highly disingenuous, of course, but it does highlight one of those areas where Brown’s at a particular advantage by being in power.  By “bringing forward” this or that spending project he can misleadingly claim to have created 1,000s of new jobs with a flick of his world-saving wand.  Whereas the Tories can only tinker in the margins, and come up with employment plans that are perhaps unavoidably underwhelming.  Brown will be hoping this contrast nullifies any attempt to use the rising unemployment stats against him.

But advantage or no, Brown’s spin may all be for naught.